Take Your Time
by Ela Mac
Summary: Sam is there for Andy after Luke gets shot.


_Hi everyone – long time….first of all my apologies for Moving Day, life got in the way and I have to pick it up again. This is a one shot that takes place after Luke gets shot. I obviously really like the comforting Sam…._

_Disclaimer – I do not own Rookie Blue_

He stops for a minute and watches her from the hospital corridor. She's sitting in the same awful chair staring across at a donated hospital picture, eyes vacant, twisting her too big ring.

It has been 24 hours since Luke was shot, and Sam had sat with Andy for most of the night watching her worry. She told him to leave several times, that she was ok, that he needed to get some sleep before his shift. Sam disregarded her at first but finally after Luke's condition had improved slightly, he left the hospital to get ready for work.

Now he is back, shift over, with food and coffee in hand. Talk at the barn confirmed that Luke was going to recover.

Looking at her now, however, he would expect her to look happier. She's sitting in the same chair, staring, when Sam walks up to her.

"Hey," he says quietly, not wanting to startle her.

Andy looks up toward the familiar voice and gives him a weak smile. "Hi." Her voice is hoarse and her eyes look tired and swollen. It is obvious to Sam she's been crying.

"I heard things are a lot better, Luke's gonna be ok?" he asks her.

"Yeah, he's awake, well…in and out with the pain meds….they're still monitoring but it's looking a lot better." There is relief in her voice but her face is still portraying both fear and exhaustion.

"I brought you some food…figured you couldn't eat hospital food forever." Sam tries to distract her a little. He can tell her mind has been going non-stop for hours.

"Thanks Sam…." she pauses heavily and meets his eyes. "….for everything."

Sam knows what the 'everything' means. She panicked when she found Luke on the floor and until the ambulance arrived Sam had a hard time getting her to hear him. It pained him to see her like that, Luke's blood everywhere and Andy shaking with the shock of it all. She did well though, followed every order he gave her right up until she got in the ambulance and they separated. He was proud she kept it together as well as she did.

"It's ok Andy, things are going to be fine," he reassures her.

She nods quickly and looks at him tentatively, eyes darting and eventually falling to the logo on the bag he was carrying. She knew it well.

Sam follows her eyes gives her a half-grin. "Favourite BLT and coffee?" He lifts the take-out bag and raises an eyebrow.

That gets him a genuine smile. He lowers himself in the seat beside her and hands over the food.

"Where's your uniform?" he asks as she finishes eating. When he left her she was still in her blood-stained uniform. Now she's in track pants and a plain white t-shirt. He assumes Traci brought her a change of clothes.

"They made me change this morning," she replies looking down briefly at what she is wearing. "I really need to get home and shower" she says almost to herself.

It doesn't go unnoticed by Sam. "I can take you," he offers. "And the air will do you good, clear your mind a bit."

She sighs loudly, thinking about it. "I don't want to leave for long…" she trails off and looks back at Luke's room. She's only allowed in every so often and not for long. Still, she needs to be there for him. She also needs to gather some things for both her and Luke.

"Don't worry, I'll wait and take you back." Sam gets up hoping she will follow his lead. He can see her mind spinning out of control. He can't imagine what sitting here alone has done to her thoughts and wants to help her. He knows the drill, how to calm her, he's done it a hundred times on patrol.

She looks up at him hesitantly and then finally, "Ok."

The drive isn't long to her place and the conversation is non-existent. It isn't awkward, either, and Sam knows she is tired and losing her fight.

He pulls into her driveway and gets out before asking if she wants him to go in with her. He's not giving her the choice. He knows the horrible images she now has of her home and there is no way he's letting her go in alone. The crew had left hours ago after obtaining all the information they needed from the scene. He opens the car door for her before she can even reach for the handle.

She's shaking just slightly when she unlocks the door and Sam gently steps in front of her and enters first. They actually did a decent job in cleaning things up, it doesn't look too bad at all. Andy follows closely behind him, so close he can feel her breath on his neck. She can't get the picture of Luke lying there helpless out of her mind.

Andy gets the nerve to leave from behind Sam's protective shoulders and quickly busies herself at the kitchen counter, stuffing dish towels into the drawer that were scattered around, wanting things to be normal again. Sam sees the tell tale frown and furrows and walks over to her, places his hands over hers to stop her from fidgeting.

Something about seeing her there, so vulnerable and distraught, well, he just can't see her like this any longer. "McNally….go upstairs and grab some things. You can shower at my place." She hasn't met his eyes yet but when she looks up they are tired and scared.

"Sam…" she starts, "I have to stay here eventually, I _live_ here."

"Yes, you're right, you are going to have to face it and get used to it here again, but right now you are completely exhausted and still in shock from it all. Right now you need a break, ok? You are reliving everything, I can see the wheels turning in your head. Come on." He pulls her upstairs leading the way, not knowing where he's going but they eventually end up in her room, _their_ room actually, with Andy throwing a few things for her and Luke into a bag.

In no time they are at Sam's and after an awkward entrance into his townhouse she relaxes a bit. She showers and changes while Sam makes coffee and they wind up sitting on his couch with the TV buzzing in the background.

"I should have told you I got engaged," she blurts out. "I mean….you shouldn't have found out at Parade like everyone else…I'm sorry."

Sam waits a beat, not knowing where that came from. "It's ok," he says finally. "Just surprised me." He still can't believe she said yes, still can't believe she's going to be Luke's wife. He's been trying not to think about it ever since he found out.

They sit in silence staring at the TV, neither one of them actually taking in what is on the screen.

He glances over at her. "Let me know when you want me to drive you back to the hospital," Sam says quietly, only to get an "ok" in response.

The next time he looks over, her head is down and her face is covered with tears.

"Andy…." he starts but she cuts him off almost immediately.

"It should have been me Sam, right? He should have shot _me_, not Luke_._ I gave her my card. He wanted to find _me_. And if you hadn't have been there, Luke would have died." She can barely get the words out.

"Andy, look.." he faces her and takes her wrists and pulls so that she's facing him. "This was not your fault, do you understand? You did what any one of us would have done by giving your name to that girl. You were trying to help her. It's going to be ok, you are fine and Luke will be too. You didn't do anything wrong. You're exhausted right now and your mind isn't functioning properly."

He can't look at her crying any longer and pulls her into his arms. She sobbing uncontrollably at this point and he's not sure she's even listening to him. He holds her tight and rubs the back of her neck and the crying eventually subsides. Her head is pressed against his chest and he feels more of her weight against him as time passes. She's asleep.

After setting his watch to wake them in a couple of hours, he shifts to get more comfortable and rests his head against the couch. He feels the exhaustion take over him as well.

"It's ok, sweetheart, I've got you," he sighs into her hair as he lets sleep take over.

Andy's eyes flutter open for a brief second before she closes them again.


End file.
